Gangster
Gangster
How did she even just assume that Leo wanted to propose to her? She was so embarrassed she wasn't sure she would get over it even after a year.
She looked out the bus window and touched the necklace Leo had bought her. It was a tiny gold necklace with a star pendant. Even though she had been embarrassed, it didn't stop her from rejecting it once she saw it inside the box. It looked too expensive. If she took it to a pawn shop, she was definitely going to receive a lot of money.
"It's yours baby." Leo said and refused to hear her reject his gift to her. He stood up from the bed and moved to where she was before taking the necklace and wearing it on her.
"Let's not argue about this, hmm?" He used a finger to raise her chin so she can look into his eyes.
"I don't... know. I just..." He stopped her from talking with a quick kiss, making her eyes widen.
"I will never understand why you're still always so surprised after every kiss we share. You should get used to it." He used his thumb to graze the corner of her lips. "This lip, is practically mine" He said with a wink.
As usual, she was tongue tied. He smiled smugly before going to sit down on the bed and crossed his legs while looking at her intently. "Should we talk now about how you thought I was about to propose or should I let you eat first?" He teased.
She prayed at that moment for the ground to open and swallow her up.
Once her bus stopped moving, she got down and scrolled towards the studio. It was almost time for the street dancing competition which meant, it was time to get serious!
***********
When Chloe returned to the house after school, her parents were unsurprisingly not available so she took a quick shower and slept off. She wasn't sure how much time passed before she heard a knock on her door.
"Chloe? Your parents are waiting for you downstairs." The chief maid informed her.
She was still so tired but she managed to sit up while yawning, "I'll be down shortly."
She wondered what they wanted to tell her this time. Surprisingly, she wasn't nervous like she usually was whenever they said they wanted to speak with her.
She sat in front of her dressing table and brushed her hair. Once she was done, she tied it in a pigtail and left her room for downstairs.
The atmosphere seemed tensed so she continued standing after greeting her parents.
"What have you been up to lately?" Her father asked first.
His voice was unusually cold which alerted her that something was really up. She looked at her mother who was looking ahead, she seemed to be deliberately avoiding to look at her daughter.
"The usual. Class, work—"
"And hanging out with boys?" Her father asked in an accusing tone, taking her aback.
Boys?
"I...." Chloe tried to defend herself but she realised she couldn't say anything. Not until she understood the basis for the accusation.
"Is that why you've been rebellious lately? Cos' you follow gangsters now!?" Her father bellowed angrily at her making her flinch.
"I don't know what you are talking about." Chloe finally said seriously. She wasn't following boys. She also wasn't following gangsters. Where did they get such information from?
"Do not lie to us Chloe. You... you used to be very obedient. How... how could you?" Her mother asked in between a sob.
"I knew you would never deliberately disobey us. Who led you astray? Who is that boy? Did he threaten you?" She stood up and walked towards Chloe to take her hand while looking at her daughter with pleading eyes.
Chloe's heart was beating so fast. She had never been in a situation like this before. Her father was angry, her mother was shedding tears. They were accusing her of hanging out with a boy which had never happened before. And the boy according to them, was a gangster. Who was that? The only boy close to her at the moment was Jeremy. And he was anything but a gangster.
"WHY AREN'T YOU SAYING ANYTHING?" Her father yelled at her when she remained quiet. "If we heard from someone that you've been hanging around with that gangster, do you know how many more people must have seen you and are talking behind our backs?"
"I do not hang around with any gangster!" Chloe raised her voice in annoyance earning her a slap from her mother.
"How dare you raise your voice at your father? Is this how we raised you? Call that boy here this instant!"
Chloe looked at her mother in shock. That was the first time she was being hit by her mother.
"We gave you everything you ever wanted. Do you know how many people wish to be like you? To have the things you own?" Her father asked in a disappointed tone.
Mrs King quickly added, "Those late nights at the office, the tantrums you've been throwing, even walking out on your date, was all because of him? That boy who looks uncultured? Who keeps their hair like that if not gangsters? Do you know how he was born? His mother was a mistress! She...."
"Stop it." Chloe pleaded with her eyes closed and hands fisted beside her.
"Just please... stop it.." She said in a broken voice when her mother continued to rant.
"...you want to ruin your future because of that—"
"I SAID STOP IT!" Chloe yelled at the top of her lungs as tears slid down her face.
Her parents looked at her like they had just seen a ghost.
She turned and began to head to her room but stopped when her father spoke, "This is your last chance, Chloe King. Whatever you have with that boy has to end. Unless you want us to approach him directly. And it wouldn't end well."
"Honey... did you... see how she yelled and walked out on us?" Mrs King stuttered, obviously still in shock.
Chloe took in a deep breath and began to climb the stairs. With each step she took, she heard the anger rise in her mother's voice, "She should go ahead and meet him! Maybe she doesn't want him to graduate cos' I'll make sure of it!"
Once she got inside her room, she banged the door and pressed her back to the door.
The image of Jeremy shaking hands with her and smiling happily a few hours ago after she agreed to go to the school talent hunt with him, flashed before her eyes and she immediately began to cry.